A maiden just five months ago, the four-year-old Street Boss (USA) gelding Elite Street continued on his remarkable rise to the top with a dominant performance in Saturday’s $1 million Group 1 Crown Perth – Winterbottom Stakes at Ascot.
Providing Brad Rawiller with a dream start to his West Australian sojourn, Elite Street travelled midfield, three-wide with cover, before unleashing down the centre of the track.
The Dan Morton-trained chestnut defeated Celebrity Queen (Redoute’s Choice) by with the 11yo marvel Rock Magic (Redoute’s Choice) back in third with short-priced favourite Trekking in fourth.
A homebred for Anita Vale Stud’s Robert Anderson, Elite Street has been first past the post in his last six starts however he was disqualified after the prohibited substance Heptaminol was found in his system at Belmont on July 29.
The Winterbottom was his first attempt at stakes level and advanced his record to five wins from eight starts with earnings of $719,080.
Anderson races the son of Street Boss (USA) with Dan Morton’s parents Len and Annette Morton.
It’s unreal to win the race for Mr and Mrs Anderson, who have been huge supporters, as well as mum and dad obviously,” Dan Morton said.
“in any other year, we probably would not get a start in the race. We were lucky to take our place, but he is a horse who I thought had the ammo o do it.
“I couldn’t have been happier in the run. Brad had him in front of Trekking, and it panned out nicely for us. He was three deep with cover and travelling sweetly. Coming to the corner, I thought it would take a good one to get past him.”
Elite Street was retained to race following x-ray issues as a yearling. He needed to have bone chips removed, and those issues would resurface in the early part of his career on the track.
Elite Street is the only winner to date from two to race out of the 5-time winning Exceed And Excel mare Elite Ateates who was bred by Ken Turner’s bred by Almavale Bloodstock.
Elite Ateates is a daughter of the crack racemare Ateates (Zeditave) who numbered fours wins at Group II level, AJC Silver Shadow Stakes, Expressway Stakes, MVRC Champagne Stakes and SAJC Yallambee Classic among her six wins. She also placed in the Group 1 SAJC Goodwood Hcp.
Elite Ateates has a two-year-old Nicconi colt named Elite Icon who was purchased out of the Dawson Stud draft by Suman Hedge Bloodstock (FBAA)/McEvoy Mitchell Racing/Belmont Bloodstock (FBAA) for $160,000 at the 2020 MM Perth Yearling Sale.
The daughter of Exceed And Excel has a yearling filly by Dundeel, and after foaling a Written By colt on September 16 was sent to Spendthrift Stud to be covered by Omaha Beach (USA).
Elite Street becomes the 42nd stakes-winner and the sixth Gr 1 winner for Darley Stud shuttler Street Boss (USA).